Turbotville is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.4 square mile, all land. Turbotville is located in the Upper Susquehanna Valley in the north-central part of Pennsylvania. Turbotville is the northern-most town in Northumberland County and is surrounded on all sides by Lewis Township.
History
A petition from the inhabitants of Turbotville for incorporation as a borough was presented to the Northumberland County Court of Quarter Sessions at the April term in 1858 and favorably considered by the grand jury. Remonstrances having been filed at the following August term, Andrew J. Muffly was appointed as commissioner to take depositions in the matter; his report was considered at November session, 1858 and on January 3, 1859, a decree of court was granted for the incorporation of the borough. The “Charter for the Incorporation of Turbutville in to a Borough”, a handwritten account of the incorporation of Turbotville Borough, is duly noted on three consecutive pages in a deed book dated April 6, 1859 located at the Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury. No reference has yet been obtained as to when the spelling of the town's name was changed from Tributville to Turbotville. The original name was Snydertown, named for Philip Reifsnyder, who is believed to be one of the first settlers of the area. Reifsnyder, a blacksmith by trade, built a tavern southwest of the intersection of Main and Paradise streets which was operated by his wife. He also operated a blacksmith shop southeast of the intersection of Main and Church Streets. Prior to being incorporated, the town name was changed to Tributville because the town then lay within the confines of Turbot Township, then later Lewis Township. The name was derived from Colonel Turbutt Francis. After his service in several wars, Colonel Francis was compensated for his service with a land grant called the "Colonel's Reward" which encompasses much of the area south of Turbotville including present day Turbot Township. Although Mr. Reifsnyder was one of the earliest known settlers of the town, he was not the first land owner. The greater part of the site of the borough was once owned by Jacob Sechler and wife Catherine who received a land grant from then Governor Thomas Penn, son of William Penn. The land grant afforded Mr. Sechler was named "Green Lawn" and included present day Main Street, Church Street, the Turbotville Cemetery, and extended into present day Lewis Township.
Religion
Turbotville, early on, was greatly defined by its townspeople's religious beliefs, so much so, that the town of currently 700+ residents once boasted four churches within the current Borough limits. Those consisting of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church on Paradise Street, Trinity United Church of Christ on Church Street, St. James Lutheran Church on Church Street, and the Turbotville Baptist Church which formerly stood on the south block of Broadway Street. Zion and Trinity still have strong congregations within the Borough. Holy Spirit moved to a new location south of the Borough in Lewis Township and the former church building is now under private ownership. The Turbotville Baptist Church, formerly on Broadway Street, was razed several decades ago and a newly constructed home, placed in 2009, now stands on the lot where the former church once stood. The Turbotville Baptist Church was last used in 1948 after the passing of the last Pastor for that congregation, Reverend Booth. Years later a new Baptist Church, not affiliated with the Broadway St. church, was erected just east of the Borough on State Route 54 in Lewis Township. The Turbotville Baptist Church also boasts a strong congregation.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 691 people, 278 households, and 190 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,546.9 people per square mile. There were 302 housing units at an average density of 676.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 99.13% White, 0.14% African American, 0.14% Native American, and 0.58% from two or more races. There were 278 households, of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families; 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03. In the borough the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $40,221, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $35,875 versus $25,583 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,401. About 4.5% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
The Turbotville Community Park is located at the corners of Church and Pine Streets. The park includes a picnic pavilion, tennis courts and playground area. The Turbotville Community Hall and Turbotville Train Station are also located at the park.
Points of interest
Notable locations include the Turbotville Auto Museum.
Education
The borough is part of the Warrior Run School District, which encompasses Watsontown, Dewart, McEwensville, Exchange, Lewis Township, Delaware Township, a small portion of Gregg Township in Union County, and other outlying areas. The Warrior Run School District is unique in Pennsylvania in that it stretches across county boundary lines and services portions of Northumberland, Montour and Union Counties. The Turbotville Elementary School is located in the borough, and the Middle School/High School complex is located in Lewis Township on Susquehanna Trail. The original Turbotville High School was a wood-framed structure erected on present day Church Street on the site of the current Turbotville Community Park pavilion. Having become too costly to heat the two-story structure, a new brick high school was erected on Pine Street in 1937. That building has undergone several renovations and additions, and is today the current Turbotville Elementary School. In 1958, a new high school was built on present day Susquehanna Trail. Then in 1968, yet another new high school building was erected on the same site and the former 1958 high school became the Warrior Run Middle School.
